Race Horse to Sport Horse Takes Time and Patience

Didn’t get a chance to ride Game today as was helping Patrick work thru a problem with Shu and it took a bit of extra time so didn’t have it for my girl. It is funny….she has so turned a corner here. She has been affectionate right from the beginning–which made it so discouraging when she was such a touchy bold forward racehorse for so long with just the presentation of a saddle and bridle—but the last couple of weeks—she is being that big goofy teddy bear puppy dog everywhere now instead of just the times when tack was not involved. She still can get uncertain…and when she does she tries to boldly bluff her way thru like she knows everything there is to know about what she is doing—but is pretty rare of late. I have to tell you she is giving me an education. I have worked with a lot of really good horses–horses that work their heart out for you–easy going guys—willing guys—but only one other time have I ever even seen a horse like her. She actually handles like a dog more than a horse. She comes up and buries her head in your chest and just leans on you to be scratched and rubbed.–Today I free lounged her as I didn’t have the time to ride-thought she might enjoy a bit of a break in the routine, and the weather and pastures have been sheet ice so they haven’t been able to get out for a few days. Turned her out with Shu in the indoor—the two of the ran around and bucked and cavorted—and in the middle of it—she would come charging up to me (even with me holding my lounge whip) in the middle of the ring looking for a carrot—get one and then go charging off again—run a few more laps and act all sassy–then come running back up and plant herself for the carrot. She was just like a little kid on the playground that keeps running back to mom or dad to show them something or bring them something….if she did it once she did it at least ten times….and when I went to replenish my carrot supply she went running up to Patrick to see if he had any. I go in the stall and I swear she meets me at the door and curls her head around while I brush her a bit or just stand and scratch her or pat her for a while…. She just isn’t like any other horse. Horses have a reserve—a seperation, sort of, where you are man and they are horse and you join each other in the world but there is a line–and never the two shall cross–no matter how good the horse—a horse just isn’t a dog….except mine. She absolutely is buried inside of my heart and soul—the two of us really are a part of each other—and it is spooky sometimes-because I know how to handle horses—I just have never had one like her…and it is such new and uncharted territory for me. She actually is enjoying our “thing” between us more that now we are riding together than before—now she gets it and she is just a clown—she likes it. Not to say she isn’t going to give me a piece of her mind from time to time—and occasionally we are going to be at loggerheads…but she and I are tied… I wish I knew how to exactly say what I experience with her—and what and why it is so new for me. I am doing a terrible job explaining it. I tell you this…..every day I just grin and get excited still about going out to see her—still grin every time I go get her in the pasture…she makes me laugh. Carrie and Patrick both say they aren’t all together sure anyone but me will ever be able to ride her just because she and I are so tight and she may not go for it–but I am thinking she will. The problem for me sometimes is that while she is a horse—she just isn’t acting like a proper horse–lol—and that a lot of times leaves me with just my instincts to go on with her rather than “knowing” what I am going to do because I have done it a hundred times before. Like I said—I have only ever even seen a horse like her once before and she wasn’t mine—she was Carrie’s and she was an Arab/TB cross. She tolerated me—the only man actually that ever did ride her—but she had eyes for Carrie only. Being this close to one sort of blinds you a little bit. I am just so ecstatic that we are finally getting to ride together….I really had started to wonder if I was just seeing things that weren’t there because I was so smitten with her….but it just took time. Anyway—don’t have a single thing to say really—just rambling about my fav subject–unless it is Shu—-and that baby girl is beyond words in a whole other way, and not just for her talent. Please pass on to Dr Duffy how well she is doing and how happy we both are…and make sure she knows how thankful I am for everything both of you have done in helping bring her here. Later—Chuck